The Great Divide
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- November
- 7
My editorial page editor, Herb Pinder, tried to talk me out of using the term “We shall overcome” in this cartoon. This almost went to press with Obama thinking “we must move on.” As astute readers of this blog may recall, Herb is African American, and a former lawyer, so his opinion (which I value greatly on all issues) is exceptionally important to me on matters of civil rights. His contention was that the former phrase was tantamount to sacred text (which it is.) But the more I thought about it the more appropriate the phrase became in the context of the cartoon. What is sacred is that the words embody the idea that democracy would one day include all of us equally. It confers sacredness on the idea of a working democracy. While President-Elect Obama is a symbolic embodiment of the successes of the civil rights struggle, he has not made his race the focus of his political career. During the campaign he spoke of his admiration for Ronald Reagan and of the burning need for political unity. For him, as President, that is the struggle of his time.
Obama’s election to the highest office of the most powerful nation in history has in a single sweep, profoundly changed the boundaries of race relations. Many of our problems won’t go away – There’s still stubborn, racially defined economic disparities – but a basic argument of the Civil Rights movement, has been gratifyingly vindicated.
Another oddly formed glimmer of hope is it does seem that most of the opposition to Obama is based on his policy ideas (or at least a cartoonish version of his policy ideas) and not the color of his skin. In the context of “judging a man by his character,” and him being excoriated for being “a Democrat,” that is a huge step toward the destination that MLK dreamed of.
This entry was posted
on Friday, November 7th, 2008 at 10:48 am by Matt Davies.
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Matt,
As much as I admire your work, I believe your editor was right.
As just one white woman, I can speak only for myself, but I KNOW I can never walk in the shoes of even one African American.
Theirs is an experience I can empathize with (as you do)but can never truly comprehend in all its deeply human complexity.
My neice – a black woman – educates me about the day-to-day, casual, silent racism she & her family endure. Matt, do people hold their belongings closer because you sat down beside them? In public,do you always have to keep a strict eye on your children so store clerks won’t suspect them of stealing when your kids are simply being kids? Time and again, do parents at PTA meetings slight you by sitting down together in groups while not acknowledging your presence – even when your children are in the same classes?
Do people suspect you of being an covert terrorist because your parents gave you a foreign name? Put aside for a moment that the name is Hussein & recall (as I believe you will) that Barack Hussein Obama is simply named after his late father?
I’m sure your heart was in the right place as I hope mine is, but never forget that although history tells us we ended slavery, we’ve never walked in the shoes of one-time slaves.
Modern day blacks have never walked in the shoes of slaves either Debs so why try to connect the two? Stereotypes are
not a good thing but they do come about for a reason.
I don’t think that anyone was asking if we have or havn’t walked in the shoes of any other person. The message “We will overcome” was a possative message with the goal of inspiring people and giving hope. I love this cartoon and I think that Obama is a man who has the potential to bring hope to a whole new group of people across the world. It speaks to the fact that there is still a great deal that must be done, but we need to come together to get it done.
hope: well said.
Another very timely cartoon, indeed.
Please also consider posting something unusual for you. A repeat of the SAME artwork, but with one sign: “Real Americans”, and the other: “LGBT”, rest stet.
(Variations on a theme…)
Subito,
No need. Did a whole new cartoon on the odious Prop 8.
I don’t agree with your editor. I think the line is the right one. You didn’t use it to belittle the concept of overcoming racism, but to expand upon it. And to expand upon it, as you said, in the same way that Barack does—to include all of us. Great cartoon.
BULLDOG
Would you consider elaborating on what you said, “Stereotypes are
not a good thing but they do come about for a reason.”? I’m afraid I don’t understand.
For me to say present-day African-Americans walk in the shoes of slaves is the same as saying “Don’t talk the talk if you can’t walk the walk.” White Americans, I believe, cannot fathom what it means to be black. Who among us would trade our (my) white skin for that of a black American’s? I KNOW I simply can’t comprehend how African-Americans deal w/bigotry or a history that contrasts so starkly w/that of my forebears whose names probably show up in the logs @ Ellis Island.
Matt, do black Americans share our assumption that in your words, “What is sacred is that the words embody the idea that democracy would one day include all of us equally.”?
What would Herb Pinder say, I wonder, if you asked him whether even Barack Obama’s enormous achievement means that black Americans have finally reached the promised land?
What’s not to understand Debs? Would you rather send your
kids to Mt. Vernon High School or Scarsdale High school?
If you were walking down Central Ave at 2:00 AM and there
were 10 white kids walking on one side and 10 black kids walking on the other, which side would you rather be on?
i think i know which choices i would make. You can disagree
all you want but my statement stands. Oh yea please don’t call me a racist either because i have an opinion different
than yours. I get along with all people and i voted for Obama.
Bulldog:
I’ll respect you enough to say: 1) I believe you’re saying what you think, not being obnoxious just because you can be anonymous on the internet, 2) racism isn’t a matter of agreeing or disagreeing w/you, if you espouse racist sentiments, the shoe fits, & you gotta wear it.
To me: sending kids to 1 school system or the other means 1 of them has more money for good teachers, good class size, good text books, etc. If the other system has broken down buildings, no ball fields, threadbare books, etc, you can bet the system’s got no $$$. It all boils down to MONEY, not intelligence or skin color. Black vs. white, Scarsdale vs. Mt. Vernon? Drive around Scarsdale & find black kids doing well in good schools. Drive around Mt.V & find white kids doing badly in apparently rotten ones. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.
I’d never walk around alone ANYWHERE @ 2:00AM. I’d avoid a group of 10 kids, period. Nowadays, I think kids should have to wear colored jumpsuits (like prisoners) so you know from far away what’s up ahead. Have you ever been to a mall (yeah, upscale too) where kids know how to BEHAVE? The City Center in White P. has had so much trouble w/this stuff it has posted rules about the behavior they won’t stand for.
Lastly, Obama got 2x as many electoral votes as McCain & more than half the popular vote. You’re 1 in a really big group of voters who just chose the better guy.
Got a ? for you: if you’d had a better alternative than McCain, would you still have gone for Obama?
It depends on who that alternative is DebS. I do tend to vote Republican more than Democrat but being an independent i went Democrat this time. If there was a BETTER candidate
than Obama yes i would have voted for someone other than Obama. For instance i don’t like Obama or McCain but i figured Obama was the lesser of 2 evils. Had Mitt Romney been the Republican candidate i would have voted for him.
I don’t like anyone to far to the left(Obama) or anyone to
far to the right. Somewhere in the middle is what i go for
but they are hard to find. as far as money in school districts you do have a point. However, I think it goes back
to how a child is brought up and has nothing to do with money. What can i say you have your opinion and i have mine. Have a happy Thanksgiving which is a great American
holiday. I think we both agree on that.
I also voted for the lesser of the 2 evils. I voted for Jesus Christ! He was my write in Candidate.
didn’t think of that one FEDUP. Now there’s the best choice!!!